שלום.नमस्ते.สมาธ.Pax.سلام.Peace.SatNam.صلح.Kwey.Amani.Barış.ειρήνη.Pace.Paz.Paix.Fred.Frieden.Vrede.Siochana.мир.امن.和平.平和.평화.Aloha.
.
.
.
Shalom
(Hebrew). Namaste (Sanskrit). Samadhi (Thai/Pali). Pax (Latin). Salaam
(Arabic). Peace (English). Sat Nam (Punjabi). Solh (Persian). Kwey (Lakotah).
Amani (Swahili). Barish (Turkish). Erieni (Greek). Pache (Italiano). Paz
(Espanol). Paix (Francais). Fred (Scandinavian). Frieden (Deutsch). Siochana
(Irish). Mir (Russian). Amin (Urdu). Heping (Mandarin). Heiwa (Japanese).
Pyeonghwa (Korean). Aloha (Hawai’ian). Peace (Common Symbol). Peace (Common
Sign). Peace (General American Sign Language). Peace (American Braille).
Holy Scriptures Study, Week 53 Ha’azinu;
119.1.18
Torah
Devarim 32:1 – 32:52
“O heavens, give ear
“And I will speak;
“O earth;
hear the words of my mouth.
“My (Truth) shall fall like gentle rain,
“My commandments like dew,
“Like water on growing plants,
“Like showers on tender grass.
“I will shout the name of Adonai,
“I will give glory to (Adonai’s) name.
“(Adonai) is the Rock,
“(Adonai’s) decisions are just;
“(Adonai) is (True) and upright.” (v1-4).
“Remember the generations gone by,
“Think about times that have passed;
“Ask your parents,
“And they will tell you.
“Ask your graybeards,
“And they will explain.
“When Adonai gave nations
“Their territories
“And created different races,
“(Adonai) set up boundaries for the people
“Addording to the number of beings.” (v7-8).
“The people of Israel belong to Adonai,
“The Children of (Yaakov) are in (Adonai’s) care.
“(Adonai) found Israel in the wilderness
“Filled with howling wind;
“(Adonai) strengthened and protected them
“Just like (Adonai’s) own eyes.
“Adonai was like an eagle
“Teaching its newborn to fly;
“So (Adonai) spread (Adonai’s) wings to protect them
“And carried them aloft between (Adonai’s) feathers.
“Only Adonai guided them;
“All alone with no foreign helpers.” (v9-12).
“(Adonai) brought them to high moutnaintops,
“And they feasted on the crops of the land;
“(Adonai) fed them honey from the rocks
“And olive oil from the stony soil.” (v13).
“But soon Jeshurun grew fat and rebelled,
“They became bloated and crude;
“They abandoned Adonai, (Who) made them.
“And rejected the help of the Rock.” (v15).
“Adonai saw this and was angry,
“So (Adonai) abandoned (Adonai’s) children.” (v19).
“Now, My anger is blazing,
“And it will flame down
“Into the bowels of the underworld.
“It will consume the earth and its crops,
“And it will ignite the foundations of
mountains.” (v22).
“I said, ‘I will reduce them to nothing’;
“I will erase the memory of their existence.
“But I was afraid that their enemies might boast,
“ ‘We have won without the help of their
Adonai.’” (v26-27).
“If you were smart,
“You would stop and think;
“You would see the end result.” (v29).
“Is it possible for one soldier to defeat thousands,
“Or for two to rout ten thousand?
“Yes! If the
Rock stopped protecting them,
“And Adonai allowed it to happen.” (v30).
“Adonai will save (Adonai’s) people
“And have pity on (Adonai’s) servants
“When (Adonai) sees the weakness
“Of their leaders and their people.” (v36).
“I will raise my hands
“and promise and swear:
“As surely as I live forever,
“When I sharpen My gleaming sword,
“I will heap vengeance on My enemies,
“On my enemies who hate Me.” (v40-41).
“(Moshe) came with (Yoshua) son of Nun and recited
all the words of this poem to the people.”
(v44).
“On that very day, Adonai spoke to (Moshe), saying:
“ ‘Climb Mount Avarim to Moutn Nebo, in the land of
Moab facing Jericho, and see the land of Canaan that I am giving the Israelites
as an inheritance. You will die on the
mountain that you are climbing, and be gathered up to your people, just as you
brother Aaron died on Mount Hor and was gathered to his people.” (v49-50).
--
How
does the teaching regarding different nations compare with that explained
within Sura 49:13, within the Koran, as well as with the narrative of the Tower
of Babel? How do these compare with
additional, similar explanations regarding the distinctions between nations?
How
does verse 12 inform the manner in which Israelis engage with people from
different communities/religions?
--
Bhagavad Gita
Chapters 15 – 16
“Sages
speak of the immutable ashvattha tree, with its taproot above and its branches
below. On this tree grow the
scriptures; seeing their source, one
knows their essence.” (v1).
“Nourished
by the gunas, the limbs of this tree spread above and below. Senese objects grow on the limbs as
buds; the roots hanging down bind us to
action in this world.” (v2).
“The
(True) form of this tree—its essence, beginning, and end—is not perceived on
this earth. Cut down this strong-rooted
tree with the sharp axe of detachment;
“then
find the path which does not come back again.
(Search for) That, the First Cause, from which the universe came long
ago.” (v3-4).
“Not
deluded by pride, free from selfish attachment and selfish desire, beyond the
duality of pleasure and pain, ever aware of the Self, the wise go forward to
that eternal goal.” (v5).
“An
eternal part of (Me) enters into the world, assuming the powers of action and
perception and a mind made of prakriti.”
(v7).
“Those
who strive resolutely on the path of yoga see the Self within. The thoughtless, who strive imperfectly, do
not.” (v11).
“Entering
into every heart, I give the power to remember and understand; it is I again (Who) take that power
away. All the scriptures lead to
(Me); I am their author and their
wisdom.” (v15).
“In
this world there are two orders of being:
the perishable, separate creature and the changeless spirit..
“But
beyond these there is another, the supreme Self, the eternal Lord, (Who) enters
into the entire cosmos and supports it from within.” (v16-17).
“Be
fearless and pure; never waiver in your
determination or your dedication to the spiritual life. Give freely.
Be self-controlled, sincere, (Truthful), loving, and full of the desire
to serve. Realize the (Truth) of the
scriptures; learn to be detached and to
take joy in renunciation.” (v1).
“Do not
get angry or harm any living creature, but be compassionate and gentle; show (benevolent) will to all.
“Cultivate
vigor, patience, will, purity; avoid
malice and pride. Then, Arjuna, you will
achieve your divine destiny.” (v2-3).
“Other
qualities, Arjuna, make a person more and more inhuman: hypocrisy, arrogance, conceit, anger,
cruelty, ignorance.” (v4).
Additional
demonic qualities are described.
“There
are three gates to this self-destructive hell:
lust, anger, and greed. Renounce
these three.
“Those
who escape from tehse three gates of darkness, Arjuna, (search for) what is
best and attain life’s supreme goal.
“Others
disregard the teachings of the scriptures.
Driven by selfish desire, they miss the goal of life, miss even
happiness and success.” (v21-23).
“Therefore
let the scriptures be your guide in what to do and what not to do. Understand their teachings; then act in accordance with them.” (v24).
--
Is
there any connexion between the prohibition against Ashera trees, described
within the Torah, and the ashvattha tree?
How does cutting the tree with “the sharp axe of detachment” both
compare and contrast with the distinct teachings within the Torah?
What is
the nature of the “individual;” the
“ego,” and the respective experience of both, therein (with the body, and the
respective processes enacted to sustain life)?
What is the nature of the confluence of the individual (ego) and the
Universal nature of Brahman, and how does this appropriately guide an
“individual’s” interaction with additional “individuals” throughout the
Universe, and also maintain an appropriate balance with all beings, life,
phenomena, and circumstances throughout the Universe?
--
Dhammapada
Chapters 16 – 20
“He who does what should not be done and fails to do
what should be done, who forgets the (True) aim of life and sinks into
transient pleasures—he will one day envy the man who lives in high
contemplation.” (v209).
“Let a man be free from pleasure and let a man be
free from pain; for not to have pleasure
is sorrow and to have pain is also sorrow.”
(v210).
“Be therefore not bound to pleasure for the loss of
pleasure is pain. There are not fetters
for the man who is beyond pleasure and pain.
“From pleasure arises sorrow and from pleasure
arises fear. If a man is free from pleasure,
he is free from fear and sorrow.
“From passion arises sorrow and from passion arises
fear. If a man is free from passion, he
is free from fear and sorrow.”
(v211-213).
Similar proclamations are made for sensuousness,
lust, and craving.
“He who has virtue and vision, who follows Dhamma,
the Path of Perfection, whose words are (Truth), and does the work to be
done—the world loves such a man.”
(v217).
“And the man whose mind, filled with determination,
is longing for the infinite NIRVANA, and who is free from sensuous pleasures,
is called uddham-soto, ‘he who goes upstream,’ for against the current of
passions and worldly-life he is bound for the joy of the Infinite.” (v218).
“Forsake anger, give up pride. Sorrow cannot touch the man who is not in the
bondage of anything, who owns nothing.”
(v221).
“Overcome anger by peacefulness; overcome evil by (benevolence). Overcome the mean by generosity; and the man who lies by (Truth).” (v223).
“Speak the (Truth);
yield not to anger, give what you can to him who asks: these three steps lead you to the
(deities).” (v224).
“This is an old saying, Atula, it is not a saying of
today: ‘They blame the man who is
silent, they blame the man who speaks too much, and they blame the man who
speaks too little.’ No man can escape
blame in this world.
“There never was, there never will be, nor is there
now, a man whom men always blame, or a man whom they always praise.” (v227-228).
“Watch for anger of the body: let the body be self-controlled. Hurt not with the body, but use your body
well.
“Watch for anger of words: let your words be self-controlled. Hurt not with words, but use your words well.
“Watch for anger of the mind: let your mind be self-controlled. Hurt not with the mind, but use your mind
well.
“There are men steady and wise whose body, words and
mind are self-controlled. They are the
men of supreme self-control.”
(v231-234).
“Yellow leaves hang on your tree of life. The messengers of death are waiting. You are going to travel far away. Have you any provision for the journey?” (v235).
“Make an island for yourself. Hasten and strive. Be wise.
With the dust of impurities blown off, and free from sinful passions,
you will come unto the glorious land of the great.” (v236).
“Dull repetition is the rust of sacred verses; lack of repair is the rust of houses; want of healthy exercise is the rust of
beauty; unwatchfulness is the rust of
the watcher.” (v241).
“Misconduct is sin in woman; meanness is sin in a benefactor; evil actions are indeed sins both in this
world and in the next.
“But the greatest of all sins is indeed the sin of
ignorance. Throw this sin away, o man,
and become pure from sin.” (v242-243).
“Life seems easy for those who shamelessly are bold
and self-assertive, crafty and cunning, sensuously selfish, wanton and impure,
arrogant and insulting, rotting with corruption.
“But life seems difficult for those who peacefully
strive for perfection, who free from (self-searching) are not self-assertive,
whose life is pure, who see the light.”
(v244-245).
“There is no fire like lust, and no chains like
those of hate. There is no net like
illusion, and no rushing torrent like desire.”
(v251).
“It is easy to see the faults of others, but
difficult to see one’s own faults. One
shows the faults of others like chaff winnowed in the wind, but one conceals
one’s own faults as a cunning gambler conceals his dice.” (v252).
“There is no path in the sky and a monk must find
the inner path. The world lieks
pleasures that are obstacles on the path;
but the (Tathagatas), the ‘Thus-gone,’ have crossed the river of time
and they have overcome the world.”
(v254).
“There is no path in the sky and a monk must find
the inner path. All things indeed pass
away, but the Buddhas are for ever in Eternity.” (v255).
“A man is not
on the path of righteousness if he settles matters in a violent haste. A wise man calmly considers what is right and
what is wrong, and faces different opinions with (Truth), non-violence and
peace. This man is guarded by (Truth)
and is a guardian of (Truth). He is
righteous and he is wise.” (v256-257).
“A man is not called wise because he talks and talks
again; but if he is peaceful, loving and
fearless then he is in (Truth) called wise.”
(v258).
“But a man is a venerable ‘elder’ if he is in
(Truth) free from sin, and if in him there is (Truth) and righteousness,
non-violence, moderation and self-control.”
(v261).
“But he who turns into peace all evil, whether this
be great or small, he in (Truth) is a samana, because all his evil is
peace.” (v265).
“But he who is above (benevolent) and evil, who
lives in chastity and goes through life in meditation, he in (Truth) is called
a Bhikkhu.” (v267).
“Not by mere morals or rituals, by much learning or
high concentration, or by a bed of solitude, can I reach that joy of freedom
which is not reached by those of the world.
Mendicant! Have not
self-satisfaction, the victory has not yet been won.” (v271-272).
“The best of the paths is the path of eight. The best of (Truth), the four sayings. The best of states, freedom from
passions. The best of men, the one who
sees.” (v273).
“It is you who must make the effort. The Great of the past only show the way. Those who think and follow the path become
free from the bondage of Mara.” (v276).
“ ‘All is transient.’ When one sees this, he is above sorrow. This is the clear path.” (v277).
“ ‘All is sorrow.’
When one sees this, he is above sorrow.
This is the clear path.” (v278).
“ ‘All is unReal.’
When one sees this, he is above sorrow.
This is the clear path.” (279).
“Cut down the forest of desires, not only a
tree; for danger is in the forest. If you cut down the forest and its
undergrowth, then, Bhikkhus, you will be free on the path of freedom.” (v283).
“As long as lustful desire, however small, of man
for women is not controlled, so long the mind of man is not free, but is bound
like a calf tied to a cow.” (v284).
--
Does
have a modest meal, to alleviate hunger and thirst, qualify as “pleasure,” or
the alleviation of “pain”? How does 1
intentionally facilitate the continuation of 1’s life without some intrinsic
normative construct that pursues pleasure and is averse towards pain? How do the teachings within the Dhammapada
(regarding) abstinence from pleasure (and the Bhagavad Gita’s teaching
regarding abstinence from lust) compare with Jesus’s teaching regarding
adultery being committed simply by a man lusting after a woman with his
eyes? Is it accurate to conclude that
both the Buddha’s and Jesus’s teachings regarding abstinence from lust are
both, essentially, teachings that dictate celibacy? And how do such teachings continue without
the dependence of continual, intergenerational procreation?
How
does the Buddha’s teaching, regarding the Universe loving a man who lives the
Dharma, compare with Jesus’s teaching regarding, the Universe hating Jesus and
hating Jesus’s disciples? What are the
distinctions, in terms of Universal outlook and perspective, that these
respective teachings respectively instil within respective adherents? How do the respective personal narratives and
examples of the Buddha and Jesus compare with these respective teachings and
with each other?
How
does Verse 223 compare and contrast with Abdul Baha’s teaching regarding
overcoming hate with love?
What is
the parallel within the metaphors provided within Verse 241 (particularly
considering unhealthiness being the rust of beauty)?
What is
the impact of the utilisation of the 1st, particularly within the
context of the proclamation, within Verses 271 – 272?
What
validity exists within the notion of the Buddha simply being a manifestation of
the 1 who considers the Buddha?
--
Gospels
John 11 – 13
“Now a
certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister
Martha. It was Mary who anointed the
(Leader) with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus
was ill. So the sisters sent to him,
saying, ‘(Leader), he whom you love is ill.’
But when Jesus heard it he said, ‘This illness is not unto death; it is for the glory of God, so that the Son
of God may be glorified by means of it.’”
(v1-4).
Jesus
goes to Yudea to heal Lazarus.
“Thus
he spoke, and then he said to them, ‘Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but
I go to awake him out of sleep.’ The
disciples said to him, ‘Leader, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.’ Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they
thought that he mean taking rest in sleep.
Then Jesus told them plainly, ‘Lazarus is dead; and for your sake I am glad that I was not
there, so that you may believe. But let
us go to him.’” (v11-15).
“Now
when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four
days.” (v17).
“Jesus
said to her, ‘Your brother will rise again.’
Martha said to him, ‘I know that he will rise again in the resurrection
at the last day.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I
am the resurrection and the life; he who
believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and whoever lives and
believes in me shall never die. Do you
believe this?’” (v23-26).
“Then
Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb;
it was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.”
(v38).
“So
they took away the stone. And Jesus
lifted up his eyes and said, ‘(Creator), I thank (Thee) that (Thou) hast heard
me. I knew that (Thou) hearest me always,
but I have said this on account of the people standing by, that they may
believe that (Thou) didst send me.’ When
he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out.’ The dead man came out, his hands and feet
bound with bandages, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, ‘Unbind him, and let him
go.’” (v41-44).
Conspiracies
are planned to capture Jesus.
“But
one of them, Caiaphas, who has high priest that year, said to them, ‘You know
nothing at all; you do not understand
that it is expedient for you that one man should die for the people, and that
the whole nation should not perish.’ He
did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he
prophesied that Jesus should die for the nation, and not for the nation only,
but to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. So from that day on they took counsel how to
put him to death.” (v49-53).
Pesach
arrives.
“Six
days before the (Pesach), Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus
had raised from the dead.
Mary
utilises expensive oil to anoint Jesus;
Judas criticises her actions; and
Jesus explains her actions.
“The next
day a great crowd who had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to
(Yerushalayim).” (v12).
“The
Pharisees then said to one another, ‘You see that you can do nothing; look, the world has gone after him.’” (v19).
“Now among
those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. So these came to Philip, who was from
Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, ‘Sir, we wish to see Jesus.’” (v20-21).
Jesus
prepares for his crucifixion.
“Now is
my soul troubled. And what shall I
say? ‘(Creator), save me from this
hour? No, for this purpose I have come
to this hour. (Creator), glorify (Thy)
name.” (v27-28).
“The
crowd answered him, ‘We have heard from the law that the Christ remains for
ever. How can you say that the Son of
man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of
man?’” (v34).
“Now
before the feast of (Pesach), when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart
out of this world to the (Creator), having loved his own who were in the world,
he loved them to the end.” (v1).
“Jesus,
knowing that the (Creator) had given all things into his hands, and that he had
come from God and was going to God, rose from supper, laid aside his garments,
and girded himself with a towel. Then he
poured water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe
them with the towel with which he was girded.
He came to Simon Peter; and Peter
said to him, ‘(Leader), do you wash my feet?’
Jesus answered him, ‘What I am doing you do not know now, but afterward
you will understand.’ Peter said to him,
‘You shall never wash my feet.’ Jesus
answered him, ‘If I do not wash you, you have no part in me.’ Simon Peter said to him, ‘(Leader), not my
feet only but also my hands and my head!’
Jesus said to him, ‘He who has bathed does not need to wash, except for
his feet, but he is clean all over; and
you are clean, but not every one of you.’”
(v3-10).
“When
he had washed their feet, and taken his garments, and resumed his place, he
said to them, ‘Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and (Leader); and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your (Leader) and Teacher, have
washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you
also should do as I have done to you.
Truly, (Truly), I say to you, a servant is not greater than his
master; nor is he who is sent greater
than he who sent him. If you know these
things, blessed are you if you do them.
I am not speaking of you all; I
know whom I have chosen; it is that the
scripture may be fulfilled,” (v12-18).
Jesus
describes the arrival of Judas’s betrayal.
Jesus
describes the eventuality of Peter’s denial.
--
How
does Jesus’s love for Lazarus compare and contrast with the love that Jesus
proclaims for his biological brothers?
How
does Jesus’s proclamation of being the resurrection connect with his
description of beings existing as Angels within Heaven? How do reincarnation and Nirvana compare and
contrast within these notions of resurrection and Heaven? What is the nature of the tangible experience
(through dreams, meditation, prayer, imagination, conscious thought, and additionally)
of resurrection, reincarnation, Heaven, and Nirvana? How does the notion of everyone being derived
from Heaven/Nirvana/Deus, and everyone eventually returning to
Heaven/Nirvana/Deus, compare, contrast, and confluence with these respective
notions?
Is
death simply an illusion? How might this
be tangibly perceived, understood, and experienced within this temporal Realm
of the Universe? What legitimacy exists
within the notion of all phenomena being an illusion (including all the words
and actions of all other beings around 1’s own self), and that all such
phenomena are simply a challenge for an individual to respond with compassion
and righteousness?
Who are
the “children of God” that are referenced within Verse 52, and what does this
mean to gather the children of God into 1?
Might this include bringing together nations of other religions into a
higher practise of singular humanity/sentient beings? How is such “Universality” strengthened by
the traditional development of Christianity beyond the Children of Israel? Does such expansion historically establish
circumstances whereby the “proclamation of Faith” is increasingly significant
so as to distinguish between practitioners of Jesus’s perceived doctrine and
practitioners of perceived “other” doctrines?
What are some of the challenges with relying substantially upon the
proclamation of Faith as a means of establishing/perceiving/evidencing
allegiance as a community? What are
additional means through which to discern such allegiance?
--
Koran
Sura 113: Al Falaq: The Dawn
“Say: I (search for) refuge in the Lord of the
dawn,
“From
the evil of that which (Allah) has created,
“And
from the evil of intense darkness, when it comes,
“And
from the evil of those who cast evil suggestions in firm resolutions,
“And
from the evil of the envier when he envies.”
(v1-5).
--
What is
meant by the “evil which (Allah) has created”?
Is this simply a reference to the tribulations of the Day of Judgment,
or is this explicitly stating that it is possible for malevolent experiences to
emanate from Allah? How does this
compare and contrast with the teachings of an individual incurring adverse
experiences through an individual’s own, previous actions? And how does that compare and contrast with
the notion of Karma, within Buddhism and Hinduism? And how do these balance with the Hindu and
Buddhist teachings towards indifference towards pain and pleasure (is this
equal to indifference to malevolence and benevolence)?
--
Blessings
upon the Prophets and Ancestors:
May
Peace and Blessings of the Highest Authority we respectively recognise, known
by many names, including God, El Shaddai, Elohim, Adonai, Hashem, Brahman, Nirvana,
Dharma, Karma, Tao, Gud, Dieu, Dios, Deus Dominus, Jah, Jehovah, Allah, Ahura
Mazda, Infinity, Logic, Wakan Tanka, Ultimate Reality, and additionally, be
upon the Rishis, Moshe, the Buddha, Jesus, Muhammad, Baha’u’llah, Guru Nanak,
Zarathustra, Avraham, Yitzak, Yaakov, Confucius, Lao Tzu, Socrates, Plato,
Aristotle, our Ancestors (Known and Unknown), and the Indigenous of
Tainoterranea, Asia, Europe, Mediterranea, and Africa, and the Universe. ૐ. אמן .
שלום.नमस्ते.สมาธ.Pax.سلام.Peace.SatNam.صلح.Kwey.Amani.Barış.ειρήνη.Pace.Paz.Paix.Fred.Frieden.Vrede.Siochana.мир.امن.和平.平和.평화.Aloha.
.
.
.
ૐ.
אמן .
.
.